Chapter 371

Chapter 371
Chapter 371

—

The commencement of the chase.

“Te-ten thousand hours…?”

“Did he mean to say a thousand and slipped up?”

“…Is such a figure even attainable?”

Instantly, a wave of whispers swept through the crowd.

The claim was simply beyond the realm of belief.

“Beg pardon…?”

Choi Kang-nam also found himself questioning his hearing.

It wasn’t a hundred or even a thousand, but ten thousand?

In comparison to his own forty hours, the gap was an astounding 250-fold difference.

When converted into days, the duration exceeded four hundred.

…Actually, setting the math aside, was it even feasible for a single person to hold that many Fragments of the Golden Rule?

While the total number of fragments held by individuals had risen thanks to the ‘World Tree Community’ and its published strategies, there were still logical boundaries.

Even a figure like Gracia, a celebrated and ‘named guide writer,’ only commanded roughly three thousand hours’ worth.

‘Unless he’s Phantom…’

If this man were Phantom, then such a hoard would make sense.

For Phantom, possessing ten thousand hours—or even several times that amount—of Fragments of the Golden Rule wouldn’t be out of character.

Yet, that possibility was non-existent.

Phantom belonged to the first generation of the Awakened, whereas Park Hyunmyeong was part of the second.

There was another definitive reason why he couldn’t be Phantom.

The ‘newbie’ status was only shed upon the fulfillment of Main Quest 10, the ‘Trial of the Dragon God Einhasad.’

By contrast, Park Hyunmyeong was a ‘newbie’ who had just finished Main Quest 6.

Regaining his composure, Choi Kang-nam felt a surge of internal derision.

‘He’s just talking big.’

Yes, it had to be a fabrication.

A desperate attempt to grab the spotlight by bluffing.

‘Even if he gets people looking at him, what does he gain besides a moment of attention?’

Without a genuine stockpile of fragments, such a boast offered no practical advantage.

It would draw eyes, but it lacked substance.

Then, a sudden realization struck him.

‘Wait, could it be…’

The thought caused Choi Kang-nam to scowl.

‘Is he trying to catch Vice-President Arin’s eye?’

…If that was his goal, he had partially succeeded.

Arin’s expression had visibly stiffened the moment Park Hyunmyeong spoke.

The scale of the number he cited was on a completely different level than anyone else she had verified.

“….”

Arin maintained a piercing gaze on Park Hyunmyeong.

…He was a truly peculiar individual.

Judging by his posture and his eyes, she couldn’t discern if he was being truthful or if he was spinning a grand lie.

She did, however, have a theory as to why he appeared so unshakeable.

‘Park Hyunmyeong holds the Heart of the Iron-Blooded Lord.’

The Hidden Trait, Heart of the Iron-Blooded Lord!

Its bearer was resistant to fatigue and possessed a ‘stoicism’ that permitted them to process crises with cold logic, free from emotional interference.

This explained why he had been the only one to calmly analyze the environment while others were reeling from the transition to the ‘Bottom of the Abyss.’

The real dilemma was his recent claim.

‘Could he be telling the truth?’

If he truly held ten thousand hours, Park Hyunmyeong’s background became a massive enigma.

Among the rising stars of the second generation, not a single soul possessed even a thousand hours.

So how could anyone have ten thousand?

If it were real, there was no way he had gathered them in isolation.

It implied a powerful benefactor.

Specifically.

…Phantom.

‘Phantom…’

If the mastermind behind Wilhelm—who was suspected to have operated as Randolph—was personally backing Park Hyunmyeong, the puzzle pieces aligned.

The impossible Hall of Fame records set in obscurity and the ten thousand hours of fragments would all make sense.

Still, it could just be a fabrication.

Her train of thought was abruptly severed.

“Target spotted-!”

“Fresh targets have arrived!”

“They are property of our Blood Moon Cult!”

“Sacrifice them to the Heavenly God!”

Combatants dressed in crimson robes charged forward without warning.

Though they numbered only a hundred, their killing intent was overwhelming.

Every one of them wore a red goblin mask, brandishing blades wreathed in a bloody light as if the act of slaughter was second nature.

Swoooooosh!

A second later, a deluge of red blade energy descended like a torrential downpour.

“…The Heavenly Mountain Divine Cult. These must be the ones who wiped out the previous scouts.”

Arin whispered.

She recognized their identity immediately.

The Heavenly Mountain Divine Cult.

A demonic sect from the Thousand Mountains, ruled by the Heavenly Demon.

They were a notorious nightmare within Pangenia, widely feared for their extreme cruelty.

It was clear they were responsible for the total loss of the previous expeditionary forces.

Rumble!

Arin slammed her foot down.

The falling streaks of red energy suddenly wavered and lost their form.

-Heavenly Punishment.

In that instant.

The weakening energy was completely overwhelmed by a cloud of spectral blades that manifested in the sky.

Gracia.

A brilliant, lightning-like blue radiance erupted from his eyes as he hovered in the air.

-Full Bloom.

Shwaaaaaak!

Simultaneously, ten thousand swords materialized behind him and rained down upon the cultists.

“G-get back…!”

“Aaaargh!”

The crimson-robed warriors were utterly defenseless.

Each blade was a solid physical object, carrying the crushing force of a great river.

Following his monumental clash with Ryga—the man dubbed the Empire’s strongest—within the Tower of the War God, Gracia had reached a new peak.

Ryga had severed both his arms, an injury that should have ended his career.

However, through sheer persistence, Gracia had undergone a ‘metamorphosis.’

His physical form had been rebuilt, and his lost limbs were fully restored.

“…Incredible.”

“So that’s… Gracia.”

The onlookers were speechless.

Even in a group of the world’s elite, Gracia’s power was on a different plane.

Despite his past setbacks, it appeared he had successfully reclaimed his status as ‘Earth’s Strongest.’

When the flurry of blades ceased, only a single yaksha in red robes remained standing out of the hundred.

Shing.

“If you value your life, you’ll speak.”

Gracia spoke with a calm tone, the edge of his blade resting against the survivor’s throat.

The response was unexpected.

“…Kekeke! We have some fascinating guests this time!”

The lone survivor let out a mocking cackle.

He seemed more amused than terrified, despite the slaughter of his comrades.

“…What is your purpose here?”

“We wait. For the manifestation of Chaos!”

“You’re waiting for the Chaos Elemental King to reach completion? To what end?”

“The truth will be revealed soon enough. You are powerless to stop it. Kehut-”

“You seem eager to die.”

“Death holds no fear for us. We simply return to the Heavenly God’s side. I shall go ahead and wait!”

“….”

“Eternal life! Eternal life! Eternal, eternal life!”

Crunch!

The warrior bit down hard, as if crushing something between his teeth.

His eyes immediately rolled back into his head.

Thud!

He fell limp on the spot.

“…Poison.”

Gracia noted succinctly.

The man had kept a lethal substance hidden in his mouth.

He had embraced death with a certainty that suggested he truly did not fear the end.

He had even died with a grin on his face.

“Insane fanatics…”

“What… what kind of monsters are these?”

The other warriors felt a chill.

The cultists who realized they were doomed had all died smiling.

Yet, these men were merely a scouting party.

The true powerhouses were likely entrenched near the four primary peaks.

Gracia pondered the cultist’s dying words before addressing the group.

“…This path is going to be treacherous.”

The Thousand Mountains were overseen by two priestesses.

The Blood Moon Priestess.

And the Ice Moon Priestess.

These two were the Heavenly Demon’s most trusted subordinates, acting as his direct instruments.

Naturally, they existed in a state of perpetual rivalry.

This competition continued even within the ‘Bottom of the Abyss.’

“…You’re telling me every yaksha sent for scouting was killed?”

“That is correct, Lady Blood Moon Priestess.”

“Who did it? Was it the factions from the other territories?”

‘Other territories.’

She meant the rival Abyss Kings and their various minions.

The masked subordinate shook his head.

“No. They appear to be humans.”

The Blood Moon Priestess frowned.

“Humans?”

“It seems a group of humans from an external dimension has organized and moved in.”

“Haven’t we seen that before?”

“We have. But this group seems significantly better prepared.”

“Hmm… They’ve actually managed to pull together some competent fighters, then.”

The Blood Moon Priestess had preyed upon human intruders many times.

She would slaughter them and seize their Fragments of the Golden Rule.

These fragments were a necessity for them to sustain their existence within the ‘Bottom of the Abyss.’

The more powerful the entity, the more fragments they required.

Consequently, the bulk of the looted fragments were funneled to the two priestesses and the ‘Heavenly Demon.’

‘The Heavenly Demon has mastered the full scope of the Heavenly Demon’s Art. Once he claims the Chaos Elemental King, no other ruler of the Abyss will be able to stand against the Thousand Mountains.’

The Heavenly Demon had recently achieved a profound breakthrough.

He had awakened his ultimate technique and reached a new state of enlightenment.

He was already far superior to those who called themselves Abyss Kings.

If he added the Chaos Elemental King’s power to his arsenal…

His strength would become incomprehensible.

However, every Abyss King present was hunting for the ‘Chaos Elemental King.’

Claiming it would grant them the power to invade other realms and Pangenia without restriction.

As beings of the Abyss, they were dependent on the ‘Poison of the Abyss.’

It was as essential to them as oxygen was to humans.

This was why they remained confined to their own lands even after emerging in Pangenia.

The ‘Chaos Elemental King’ would break those chains.

It would serve as an infinite source of the Poison of the Abyss!

“We need to intercept them before the Ice Moon Priestess does. Rally the yakshas.”

“By your command.”

The masked man vanished instantly.

The Blood Moon Priestess allowed a small smile to form.

‘A stroke of luck.’

These humans would serve as perfect sacrifices for the Heavenly Demon.

If they wiped out the scouts, they were clearly strong—and the stronger the human, the more fragments they carried.

The Ice Moon Priestess likely knew by now, but her rakshasas couldn’t match the tracking abilities of the yakshas.

This race would be won by her.

“The hunt is on.”

She, the Blood Moon Priestess, would be the only one to hold the Heavenly Demon’s favor.

Ten hours had passed since they entered the ‘Bottom of the Abyss’ within the Black Dome.

“Haa… haa…”

“They just keep coming…!”

“Where do they all come from?”

They had engaged in six major skirmishes already.

Roughly every two hours, they encountered a hostile force, and peace was never an option.

Exhaustion was setting in.

When faced with constant, high-stakes combat, even the most resilient spirits began to fray.

Furthermore, their reserves of ‘Fragments of the Golden Rule’ were dwindling alarmingly.

“The fragments are burning up way too fast…!”

“The drainage gets worse every time we use our abilities.”

The rate of consumption was at least double the norm, sometimes five times as high.

At this pace, people were more likely to die from fragment depletion than from enemy blades.

“Those who have plenty should support those who are running low-.”

Arin suggested, but would anyone actually volunteer?

Even for those with a surplus, there was no telling how long this ordeal would last.

The drainage could get even more aggressive.

Giving away fragments now could mean personal doom later.

“L-Lord Gracia. Could you spare just ten hours?”

“Please, I’m begging you too.”

Desperate individuals began pleading with Gracia.

Gracia, however, shook his head.

“I don’t think distributing them haphazardly is a wise strategy.”

He was looking at the bigger picture.

It wasn’t practical for the strongest members to bleed their reserves.

To survive this trial, the fragments needed to be concentrated within the ‘powerhouses’ and those with ‘multiple Hidden Traits.’

If they thinned out the supply across everyone, they would likely all perish.

“At this rate, the ‘Poison of the Abyss’ is going to take us!”

“Have mercy…!!”

Ten people were already at the breaking point.

That number would only grow as time ticked on.

Yet, no one came forward to help.

Even Arin, as the leader, hesitated.

She couldn’t force people to give up their lifelines.

As the silence stretched, despair began to cloud the eyes of those running empty.

It was then.

“I’ll provide the hours.”

A voice cut through the tension.

…It was him.

The man who claimed to have ten thousand hours, whom everyone had dismissed as a liar.

They had initially viewed him as a mere porter.

‘Could he actually have been telling the truth?’

As the group stared at Park Hyunmyeong, he continued.

“But I have a condition.”

…’A condition?’

“What is it?”

They had to know.

I gave a slight shrug and laid out the terms.

“You must enter a contract to fulfill one request from me in the future. The price is one request for every ten hours provided.”

I had realized something the moment we stepped in here.

This challenge wasn’t designed for a solo player.

It required massive power, but it also required a team.

For example, ascending the peaks would require someone to form a pact with the volatile elementals.

Who in their right mind would volunteer for that?

Therefore, this was a necessary step to clear the trial.

Besides, ten hours was a drop in the bucket for me.

I had claimed ten thousand, but even that was an understatement.

Thanks to the revenue from a few more guides, my current stockpile of Fragments of the Golden Rule was significantly higher than ten thousand.

And this was the only window I had to set these terms.

Soon, the situation would escalate far beyond this.

The line between those who have and those who have not would become a chasm.

Neither Arin nor Gracia would be immune to that reality.

I, however, was the exception.

I wore a relaxed smile as I checked my current inventory.

《Current Balance: ‘54,498h’ of ‘Broken Fragments of the Golden Rule’.》
《Current Balance: 6 ‘Intact Golden Rules’.》